Hydraulic brake system



Jan. 6,11959 HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM Filed Nov. 22. 1954 @L .y i

l. l.. REQUENES 2,867,296

2,867,296 HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM `Ignacio L. Requenes, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 22, 1954, Serial No.V 470,279

2 Claims. (Cl. 188-76) This invention relates to braking systems and more particularly to hydraulically or pneumatically energized vehicular braking systems.

The object of this invention is to increase the effective frictional force capable of being applied to retard the rotation of a wheel.

`A feature of this invention is a means for increasing the area of the effective braking surface on a brake drum without substantial increase in the size of the brake drum.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of an inner set of expansible brake shoes and an outer contractible brake shoe cooperating with a single brake drum, coupled with the provision of means for prevent'- ing undue thermal expansion of the drum.

This invention is exemplarily applied as a modification of the conventional hydraulic braking system employed in commercially produced automobiles and trucks. In such systems, the primary limitation upon effective braking, from a mechanical standpoint, has been in the nature and extent of the braking surface between the brake-shoe lining and the brake drum since the extent of the force applied to the brake pedal is limited by the capability of the driver and any substantial increase in the length of brake-pedal travel is not feasible.

Various attempts khave been made to overcome braking-system detciencies,vincluding adding various types of booster or servo mechanisms to increase the effective unit pressures between the brake lining and-the brake drum andvincreasing the area of the braking surface on the lining and drum.

In both cases, however, the increased expansion of the drum as a result of the increased heating has resulted in such a substantial variation in the distance between the lining and the drum that dragging of the brakes occurred or that excessive brake-pedal travel was required. y

An improved braking system is obtained in the disclosed system by very substantially increasing the effective braking area while preventing'excessive linear expansion of the brake drum. The increase in brakingsurface area has been exemplarily accomplished by providing both inner and outer brake shoes, the inner shoes being expansible into engagement with the inner surface of a brake drum, and the outer shoe or band being contractible into engagement with the outer surface of the brake drum. The limiting of the expansion of the drum has been exemplarily accomplished by modifying the drum to include a hollow annular internal chamber filled with an appropriate coolant.

The manner of accomplishment of the foregoing objects and features, and other objects and features of the invention, will be perceived from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention when read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a front elevational sectional view of a brake adapted for association 'with one wheel of a vehicle and embodying the principles of the invention;

, United States Patent @flee Patented Jan. 6,v 1959 Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and v Fig. 3' is a schematic representation of a complete braking system associable with a four-wheeledvehicle.

The inventive concept is representativelyapplied to a hydraulic braking system, and portions of the structure 'ofFig 1 are unmodified forms of conventional automotive elements. The braking system for any one wheel includes a shield or housing 10 including a backing plate 12 provided with a plurality of apertures 14 for accepting screws or studs by means of which the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is attached to the automobile.` Backing plate 12 is also provided with a central aperture 16 through which the axle, or equivalent element, of the automobile extends.

Pivotally mounted upon the backing plate 12 by means of anchor pins 18, which may be eccentric, are a pair of internal brake shoes 20 provided with annular flanges 22.' Suitable brake linings 24 are riveted or otherwise atllxed to the flanges 22 on the brake shoes 2.0 in the conventional fashion. The brake shoes 20' are normally held in a contracted position by a retracting spring 25. They are actuated by means of a wheel cylinder 26 provided with a chamber 28 into which a hydraulic brake fluid may be forced through a iluid line 30 to act upon a pair of opposing pistons 32 engaging the inner surface of the wall of the cylinder 26. Pistons 32 engage piston stems or rods 34 passing through boots 36 and integral with the brake shoes 20 so that upon the application of a force to the pistons 32 through the medium of the hydraulic brake fluid, the brake shoes 20 are forced outwardly, pivoting about the anchor pins 18. The physical relationships may be appropriately modied to render both shoes so self-energizing, if desired.

The brake lining 24 upon the brake shoes 2t) cooperates with the inner surface 38 of a brake drum comprising an inner annulus 40 and an outer annulus 42 so interjoined so as to provide a sealed inner chamber 44. Thus, as mayfbest be seen in the sectional View of Fig. 2 of the drawings, the inner annulus 40 and the outer annulus 42 are interjoined by means of discs 46 and 48 so as to dene a hollow annular chamber 44. It is envisioned that the portions 40, 42 and 46l may be integrally formed by a casting operation and that the disc or ring 48 may be inserted and held in place by welding, sweating, or equivalent aillxing operation. Any other suitable method of manufacture may be employed wherein the drum has the requisite strength and rigidity and wherein the internal chamber is fluid or liquid tight.

A suitable coolant is placed within the chamber 44 through an orice 50 with provision being made to plug or seal that orifice after the coolant is placed within the chamber 44. A plurality of orifices 5@ and plugs therefor may be provided to obtain dynamic balance.

An annular outer brake shoe or band 52 is mounted exteriorly of and in spaced parallelism with the outer surface 54 of the outer annulus 42 of the ybrake drum. The outer shoe 52, faced with a `brake lining 56, is adjustably mounted upon a mounting plate 58 integral with the the shield or housing 10 and with the backing plate l2.V

Mounting plate 58 is provided with a block 60 internally threadedy to accept an adjusting screw 62 the shank of which passes through an aperture in a bracket 64 riveted, welded or otherwise alllxed to the outer shoe 52. A compression spring 63 is interposed the bracket 64 and the lblock 60.

The distance between the brake lining 56 and the outer surface 54 of the brake drum at a 'point adjacent the block 60 is adjustably controlled by means of the screw 62, rotation of that screw in one direction permitting the bracket 64 to move to the left (Fig. l) under the impetus of spring 63 thereby to increase the clearance between the lining and the drum, and rotation of the screw 62 in the other direction tending to move 'the bracket 64 to the right, compressing spring 63, to decrease the diStance-bet-ween thef1ining:56 and the .oute surface 54 of the brake drum. Y l Y:Diametrically `opposite 'the .aforesaidfadjustable mounting* meansr Vforfthe-outer shoe Sp2 y"is -ariaadditionalniounting means for :that .shoe including 4afpair oflextending arms =66 alixed tor-.the -two spaced -end yportionsofthe shoe SZMand being so formed Vas'rto extend .in substantially spaced parallelism with -one another. A `com pression-spring 68 '-ininterposed'each .of the arms y66land a-.plate -70 aixed -to aifportionfof Athe shield, or-housing 11k-those springs lt'ending to-force the arms -66` apart. Y A

' bolt -72 provided with-a nut74\.passes through aligned apertures-.in thef-ar-msfand ithelplate 70so as to dene the maximum degreeoffseparation'of the armse. AThus, the separated ends of the outer brake .-shoe 52-rarebal anced and adjusta'blyj positionedrelative tolthe youterrsur- -face 54=of thebra-kedrum by meansl including 'theisprings .68 and -.the:bolt-72, and thel otherside-of the brake shoe 52eisl supported Iwith .respect tothe shieldr orfhousing -10 by means includingvthe-boltf62 and the`block-60.

The lining 56 on --the'outer brake shoe'or band 52 .is forcedinto engagement with-the `surface-540i? the-brake drum by means of'fa pairof'opposing wheel cylinders 78 `provided with internal pistons (not --shown) integral with or abuttingpston stemsor rods-aixed tororengaging the'arm's 66. yA hydraulic' line-82 is connected to each vof the cylinders 78 'and' the twolhydraulicLlines 82communicate -with ,thefmain Afeeder vline 84. .Upon the application offiluid pressurevia=line 84 and` lines '82 vto `the Awheelcylinders `|78, the @piston stems or I'rods 80 lforce 'the farms `66 vtowards one another against Vtherefsistive forceof the YZspringsf 68- so 'as to *deform the brake fshoeo'r -band '52 to Ybringv the --lining -56 finto `engagement with the surface 154 'K of the brake vdrum. The "resilient rnature of the compression :spring "63 permits Athatffpor- `tion-of the brake lining "56 adjacent theZ-blockt) to-be brought `into engagement with the surface l54 of the brake drum.

It willtherefore be"-`seen-that an increasefintthe pressure applied tothe hydraulic fluid in the line 84 will `result -in forces being exerted to expand ythe two 'inner brakeshoes 20 to bring the lining l24 intofenga'gement -with'the inner surface 38 of the'inrier annlusf40of -the 4brake drum and Yto contractthe outer'brake'shoeor band `52 to bring the lining 'into'engagement withthe` outer `surface v54 of the :outer lanr`1ulus.52 of the brakezdrum. By virturezof this arrangement, with outisubstantially-.increasingtthe diameterothetbrake drumtheete'ctive area offthe 2-braking `-surface @has ybeen -very substantially :inc'reased through the provision `'of y an additional brake drumior band positionedexteriorly ofthe brake dr-um. :It` will be observed 'from fthe drawings .that .the total braking surface` has been considerablymore than' doubled, being increasedsubstantiallylbytaifactor of three.

Lllt iso'f course 'recognizedfthatthe=kinetic1'energy of motion lof @the automobil@ must l be dissipate'dzinfthe form of` Heat fwh'enthe'atomobile is zstopped. VThis heatvre- "sults in a substantial fincreas'e': in temperature of lthe -bra-ke drum, .'producinga;substantial elongation of the circumference of 4'thef'd'rum -andhence a substantial in- -crease-'in lthe"diameterofthefdrum. IUnless means are provided toprvent'undueeXpansiomof thev drum .upon extensive "braking, the distance between therinner'shoes 20, in'theirreleasedposition, 'andfthe inner surface 38 lofthe brakevdrum becomesf-sozgreat thatibut aredfuced portion of the inner brake shoe lining 24 engages :the 'fdrum; under *extreme conditions, the degree of f niove frnlenteofthe inner brakefshoesltl is ins'uilcient to'e'sta'blish engagement with; the Ibrake drum. Conversely, t un- A=le`ssin1eans=are-provided to prevent such an occurrence, upon'extensive E'braldng fwith the ,resultant Vexpzmsion l. of ithebrkexdrurnthe distance-:between '.t'he `c uter .brake shoe lining 56 and the outer surface 54 of the brake drum "becomes so small that the'brkes will drag, or, under extreme conditions, lock.

To prevent improper functioning of the system due to thermal expansion of the brake drum a suitable coolant iluid is placed within the chamber 44 in the brake drum to dissipate the heat generated during braking or at least to dissipate that portion-"ofethe heat generated during braking which'wouldjrotherwisevoverheat the drum and produce undue expansion of the drum. vWhile the coolant may be eitherf-inallslidfliquidorlgaseous state at normal ambienttemperatures, it .has vbeen found to be preferable to employ `a`liquidhaving a'liigh heatf `va porization and having'fatemperatureovaporization greater than normal ambient temperatures but less than the temperature at which the expansion of the brake drum becomes excessive. The temperature of vaporization is ,preferably below.that.ofwater.. Y

-If-charnberf44 .isrparially lled :with: a. mixture of .motor oil and a compoundhaving thecaforesa'id: characteristics, the-mixture `will .he capableof absorbing-.the sensibleffheat developed tbyfthe brakes under'v normal .driving conditions to a sufcientdegree to preventundue lexpansion ofthe brake-drum. Underextreme '.brakingconditions, vwherein anabnormal amount `of heat is developed,vvaporization will or may occur .todissipate .the additional heat. -,It has been found that any of a number of substancesma-y be :mixe-d iwith motorv oil `providing .the mixture :has the requisite characteristics. Fortexample, lfluorostrichloro methane, -rriethylene chloride, .,dichlorethylene, or triehlorethylene Tmay `be .employed twith the motor .oil. Since thecoolantzitself `tendsatoexpand with'iheat, it `lis offrcourse advisablezto-Yincompletely.fill vthe chamber F44. conventional `hylraulicwsystem rrno'diiie'd .to permit .the incorporation I*of the .principles of .the present .inventionfis vshown .in AJ""i g..;3 ofi-:the drawings. The .master .cylinder ISS fis actuated by asbrke .pedal and brakeJinkage (not show-n) to -force hydraulic brake liluid .through Itheline and.the,junction 9 .2 '.to either ofthelines94 fleadingrto lthe front-wheel -brake cylinders l and -to the 1line.96 which-communicates with either of .the -linesl.98 leading to the rear-wheel cylinders. Each ofthe lines 94.and98tnds its equivalentin .line 84inlFig. .lofthe drawings. Linetlin Fig.1.of therdrawings is similarly .identifiedforteachof the wheelsin Fig. -3 of-the drawings.

-While itfwill be apparent that the embodiment of :.the invention,hereinvdisclosed is well calculated-tofulllthe objects above stated, it will be appreciated that fthefinivention is susceptible to modication, variationfand Vchange without departing from lthe 2.proper scopevor fair .meaning of the snbjoined` claims.

l. In a {.braking system, a rotatably Vmounted Abrake drum comprising an outer annulus, an inner annulusgand .a'pair'aofdiscs .interjoinin-gthe edges of-...said .annuli to form a'hollowmh-amber in-said drum, a shield, afpair ,of brake4r shoesindepen'dently ,pivotally -mo'unted on `vsaid shield, -fa hydraulic cylinder-.mounted on saidashield .and actuatable to) pivotsaid ishoes. into. engagement with said -inner .annulus, an .annular -brake lband -overlying-fsaid Aouter-annulus and havingtwoends,-a pair of-armsain div'idually aiXed-to said ends and extending substantially Lin spaced parallelism with -one another, spring'.1neans for rforcing said-arms apart, means for establishing an adjustable limitto the extent-of separation'of saidarms, `a pairof hydraulic .cylindersrnounted on said shield and actuatable to force said arms-towards one anothenmeans `engagi'ngsaid brake bandtat apointf diametrically oppositev said ends for resiliently supportingav portion: of said -brake band inproximityvto saidl outer annulus,.rhydraulic apparatus for concurrently energizing all rof; said 'cy-linders, and a .normally liquidcoolant. in said chamber.

A2. In ia brakingsystem, -a'rotatablymounted ibrake t drum comprising.` an outerganriulus,l any innerzvannulus ran'd a pair of::discsainterjoiningithenedgessmfasaidsamrulirto form a hollow chamber in said drum, a shield, a pair of brake shoes independently pivotally mounted on said shield, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said shield and actuatable to pivot said shoes into engagement with said inner annulus, an annular brake band overlying said outer annulus and having two ends, a pair of arms individually aflixed to said ends and extending substantially in spaced parallelism with one another, spring means for forcing said arms apart, means for establishing an adjustable limit to the extent of separation of said arms, a pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted on said shield and actuatable to force said arms towards one another, means engaging said brake band at a point diametrically opposite said ends for resiliently supporting a portion of said brake band in proximity to said outer annulus, hydraulic apparatus for concurrently energizing all of said cylinders, and a coolant in said chamber, said coolant com- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

